Thai actress ‘Patt’ to face money-laundering charges

BANGKOK: Police will charge actress Napapa “Patt” Tantrakul with money laundering and laundering conspiracy, allegedly for B30 million unaccounted for in her bank accounts after her husband faced same charges in connection with a Lao drug cartel.

Napapa ‘Patt’ Tantrakul at an event held by TV Channel 3 in June 2015. Photo: Post Today

Lt Gen Sommai Kongwisaisul, commissioner of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau, said today (Mar 11) that Ms Napapa would be among the relatives of Akarakit “Benz Racing” Worarojcharoendet summoned for questioning because police found about B100 million suspiciously connected to many groups of people. Of the sum, about B30 million was with the 30-year-old actress’s accounts.

After being questioning on Monday (Mar 13), police would inform the actress of the charges and would seek the Criminal Court’s approval for her detention right away. Police interrogators would object her temporary release, the commissioner said.

Ms Napapa married her husband of the same age last November and had a child in mid-February.

Early this month, Mr Akarakit was charged with money laundering and laundering conspiracy in connection with a recent crackdown of the major drug network run by Lao drug kingpin Xaysana Keopimpha, now in police custody.

Lt Gen Sommai said earlier that police had established a link between Mr Akarakit’s financial transactions and those of the illicit drug network.

Mr Akarakit was released on bail for B500,000.

According to the police investigators’ accusations submitted to the court against Mr Akarakit, he colluded to launder money with Natthaphol “Boy” Nakkham, who was arrested on Feb 1 in connection with the Xaysana drug network.

Mr Natthaphol had allegedly supplied Mr Akarakit with drug money and the latter had used it to buy properties and run businesses, said the investigators in the charges submitted to the court.